Automobile traveling road map device



Sept. 15, 1931. J. 5. M NEIL I AUTOMOBILE TRAVELING ROAD MAP DEVICE Filed Aug. 10, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. (gym aw y 6 ATTORNEY Sept. 15, 1931 J. s. McNElL AUTOMOBILE TRAVELING ROAD MAP DEVICE Filed Aug. 10, 1929 4 SheetsSheet .2

wv Ill INVENIITOR.

Ma I Arm v/EY.

[I I III I T n if L 3 L AJ L Sept. 15, 1931.

J. s. M NEIL AUTOMOBILE TRAVELING ROAD MAP DEVICE Filed Aug. 10. 1929 4 sheets-sheet a WWW fi iimm vm A TTORNE Y.

Sept. 15 1931. J. 5. M NEI L AUTOMOBILETRAVELING RQAD MAP DEVICE Filed Aug. 10. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ill/Ill/IlI/l/J,

INVEN TOR.

TTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 15, 193i nnrreo STATES PATENT oFFica JAMES s. MCNEIL, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN AUTOMOBILE TRAVELING ROAD MAP DEVICE Application filed August 10, 192-9. Serial No. 385,035

The object of my invention is toproduce an automatic road map device for tourists use, that will operate directly with a traveling automobile to which it may be attached,

.5 for indicating and directing the way from one locality to another along a given route,

and that is adapted for night as well as day use.

Another object is to produce a mechanical road map for mounting on the instrument board of an automobile, visible to the'driver at all times, adjusting the map automatically as the car traveling along the route, so as to keep the advanced information concerning the route to he traveled constantly before therein in direct ratio to the automobile surface travel.

These several objects are attained in the preferred form by the construction and arrangement of parts more fully hereinafter set forth.

Similar parts on all drawings are marked by similar numerals and letters.

Fig. l is a front View of my device showing the relative position of the mounted device when connected with an automobile odometer, and the visible map section.

' Fig. 2 is a top view of the device and connected odometer showing the rela-tiveposition of the map tape rolls and operating mechanism.

c Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of the Fig. 1 showing the position and general arran ement of the map rolls and visible map section. if

Fig. i is a side view taken on the line 44 nism.-

on the side of the automobile odometer for object is to produce a me metal casing suitable for mounting on the nstrument board of an automobile and ca.r-,

'mobile odometer, and in a manner for moving the map tape in direct ratio with the I with the front-face of the board. Small lugs of 1 showing the map winding 121180115} Fig. 5 is also a side View of the casing taken on the line 55 of the Fig. 1 showing the removable wall section for interchanging the map rolls. i

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1 showing the inner gear ratch ets of the spring winding mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a'sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 1 showing the special connection attaching the map device thereto.

Fig. 8 is a side View of one of the map tape rolls showing the pivoted end and tape attaching slot. Y

Fig. 9 is an end View of the map tape roll showing the end pin slot for engaging the spring windingshaft.

Fig. 10 is also an endview of one of the map ta p'e rolls showing the end pivot recess and position of the paper map tape slot.

I will now describe morefully the detail construction of my device, referring to the drawings and the marks thereon.

In general my device comprises a small 7 rice mounted therein a road-map tape wound on suitable rollers controlled by suitable mechanism connected directly with the autoy automobile travel for keeping a map and driving information of the immediate road section always visible before the'driver.

The casing -lis formed ofa 110x1 shaped inclosure suitable for mounting on e an instrument board 2 of an automobile. I The casing -1. is made of metal, either cast metal or formed of sheet metal, andis provided with one flat face wall -'-8 formed with a window opening 4l'tl iere-,

throu h suitable for mountin in the instru-' ment board opening '5 positioned flush- 6- and 7 are formed along the side walls a and 'b of the casing -1 for detachably mounting the casing to the auto- 7 mobile instrument board, the lugs 6 on side a engage with the fixed clips 8.,

rigidly mounted on the back of saidboard, f p

while the lugs 7- on side --?2 engage the spring clips 9 pivotally mounted on the back side of the instrument board 2, said clip 9 being provided with a small release tip 10 projected through the board opening 11. The casing 1 being easily detached therefrom by releasing the spring 0lips ''9. QA wall opening 12 is formed through the side aof the casing 1, extending over nearly the entire side casing wall. A wall panel '--1V within the casing opening 4:- by theside wall grooves 33., completely closing the casing. Mounted within the casing1, are two mapt'ape spool rollers 18 and l9. Said rollers being formed cylindrical and provided with pivot recesses '20 in each end thereof, positioned on the centerline of the roller. t one end of the rollers 18 and 19 is formed an end driving 7 slot 21, positioned diametrically across -th'e'end. WVhile the slot is used in roller 19 only it is desirable'to have the rollers interchangeable. Through -the body of each roller 18- and ar-r is formeda narrow tape slot 22- extending lengthwise of the roller, for engaging the end of the map tape therein when rolling said map tape thereon. The spool roller 18 -is rotatably mounted within the casing 1 by the pivot pins 23 fixedly mounted in theside casg'ing wall -b-. and the -wall-panel l3,

said pivots being positioned to engage the pivot recesses 20 I in the roller ends, retaining said roller parallel to the transparent window sheet 2, free to .turn on the pivots. The spool roller 19- is mounted at one end on a; fixed pivot 24 projected from the wall panel l3' and:

theother end 'is mounted on the winding shaft 25-, said shaft '25 being rotatably-mounted in the casing side wall b-. The roller 19 is retained within said casing -1 in a position parallel to the transparent window sheet 32, and roller 18. The winding shaft 25 is con- -.nected tothe roller --l9- by a key pin 26 mounted within the shaft end positioned to engage the roll end slot 21. A"

pinion gear 27 is fixedly attached to the outer end of shaft -2 outside of the easing wa ll Also mounted within the casing l aretwo map tape'window rolls 28 and 29-i The idler roll 28-"is extended the full widthvofthe window: opening fl, and is provided with a pivotshaft for rotatably mounting the roller A window sheet 32 through the side walls a and b, positioned at the top of the casing Window opening 4 and parallel to rollers 18 and 19, said roller 28 being free to turn on its supporting pivot shaft. The feed roller 29 also extends the full width of the window opening l-, and is fixedly mounted on a drive shaft 3l, the shaft 3lbeing rotatably mounted through the casing side walls a and b, positioned at the bottom of the casing window opening t and parallel to the rollers l8 and 19. The diameter of the roller 29 is determined so the roller circumference will equal a scale mile of the map tape to be used thereon and the diameter may vary as the map scale is varied. The rolls 28 and -29 -a1'e positioned in vertical alignment, parallel with the transparent window sheet 32. The feed roller shaft -31- is projected outside the casing wall .-a-, and is formed Wlth' a squared end drive plug 3l Directly beneath the feed roller 29 is mounted a small tension roller 85, provided with a pivot shaft 36 extending through the roller body and having the shaft ends projecting through wall slots 37 for-med in the casing side walls a and Z). A tension frame 38 is rotatably mounted on the shaft ends beneath the roller and is providedwith I a suitable tension spring -'39 fixedly attached thereto. The spring 39 being positioned to, engage the bottom casing wall and exerts a pressure on the tension roller -35,-' forcing same against the-feed roller 2 9"-. The surfaces of the rollers 29- and are preferably made of rubber for engaging and restraining the papermap tape feed therethrough. A release button -40 is slidably mounted in a slotted recess in the casingface and fixedly attached to the tension frame-$8 I I I tension roller 35 from the feed roller 29 for inserting or removing the map 'tapetherein; A suitable map tape'4llfor releasing the I formed-with pointed ends may be threaded through the roller slot -22 of the map tape spool 18, and said map tape wound thereon as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the road map information being positionedon the outside of the roll, and the map tape 41 threaded between the feed roller 29 and tension roller -'35-, over the top. of the idler Window roller -28, and the opposite end of the map tape threaded through the slot of the roller 19- and with a slight winding of the roller -19 the map tape is securely attached thereto. A tension spring 4L2 is fixedly attached on the casing wall panel l?-.

positioned to engage the end of the roller i 18f fOI' preVent1ng free turning thereof on its supporting pivots, except as: the map tape llis drawn therefrom by the feed" side wall b by the bearings 46 and l7. The shaft l5 being provided with a turning knob t8- on the'outer end thereof. The winding gear 4:3- is rotatably mounted on the shaft 45, loosely between the shaft collars -49 and 50-- which are fixedly attached to the shaft body; The gear l-3 being connected thereto by a pawl 51 attached to the gear side by a pivot in, said pawl engaging the teeth 10 formed on the edge of collar -50, fixedly attaching said gear to the shaft 45 for rotation in one direction, but free therefrom when said shaft is rotated in the opposite direction. Said shaft 4:5 and gear l3- being positioned so the gear will engage and mesh with the pinion gear --27 connected with the map tape roller, 19. The winding spring M has its inner end fixedly attached to the shaft 45, and its outer end fixedly attached to a wall post 52- mounted between the casing -1 and bearing &'6. Said winding spring and gears being capable of winding the map tape 41 on the roller 19 as the tape is drawn through the feed roller 29 and tension roller 35-, said feed roller always being rotated by some mechanical connection with the automobile speedometer. The odometer 54 illustrates any standard type, many types of which are on the market, all of which comprise a trip mileage disc units c and -e, and total mileage discs f and a speed recording disc --g. The mileage discs being rotatably mounted on a shaft and connected together mechanically to record the actual mileage traveled by the automobile. The last disc e of the trip mileage unit, being always the fractional mile disc, in all cases is geared to make one revolution only for each mile traveled and recorded, and this disc alone affords operative means for connecting my map section thereto. The mileage disc -e being provided with an extended collar 7r: is attached to the squared end 3-l of the feed roller shaft .31, and thereby rotating the feed roller 29 one revolution for each mile recorded on the connected speedometer 54. The circumference of the roller -29 always being equal to a mile scale on the map tape, thereby synchronizing the map movement with the automobile travel.

The map tape used with this device is fully described in another patent application filed Aug. 10, 1929, Serial No. 385,024, although any suitable tape made to the proper scale may be used therewith, and it is intended the map tape -tl to contain all important road information useful to an automobile driver, or tourist, traveling unknown routes between known destinations, such as all cross roads, road turns,'detours, gas stations, cities ortowns, or land marks along the route, all located and positioned on the map tape in exact scale at which said map is made, and in their relative positions thereon, so thatas the automobile travels along .7 the route, the map tape and information will travel in exactly the same ratio, and keep the road information for the existingand ad-' Vance road sections always visible before'the driver.

By releasing the attaching clip --9" mounted on the automobile instrument board -2-,the entire casing -1 may be easily and quickly detached from the instrument board and connected odometer, andby re leasing the wall-spring l6-,- the panel 13- may then be removed from-the casing l'- and the map tape rollers '18-;and I 19 removed therefrom, or interchanged for a different routemap tape, and when thenew tape is properly mounted through and over the respective rollers as heretofore spec ified, the wall panel 13 may then be attached and the casing remounted; on the in strument board in the manner heretofore de: f scribed. By winding the spring "44- -the new map tape 4l''--Will be readily wound on the roller -'l9--='as the feed roller 29- draws same fromthe map'roller 18. All adjustments may be easily'made to set the map tape to fcorrespond with the odometer, by the-release button '-40- mounted on the front casing wall. r

Having fully described my automobile traveli'ng'road map device, what I- claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Pat' entisb Claims: i r I 1-. A road map device adapted for an automobiletourists'road guide and used incom bination with p the automobile 1 odometer, comprising a casing frame suitable for fixedly mounting same on anyautomobile' odometer instrument board, said casing being formed with a front window opening, a series of map tape rollers rotatably mounted withinsaid casing with some of 1 said rollers positioned adjacent the front window opening and parallel therewith, a road map tape mounted on said rollersin a manner as to expose a section thereof, visibly, through said frame window opening and hav- I ing the opposite map ends attached to the end rollers, a feed roller rotatably mounted within said casing positionedv to engage the said road map tape for unwinding said'tape from one roller, winding means attached. to the opposite end roller for winding said map tape thereon as the feed roller is unwinding same from the other roller, said feed roller being connected directly with the automobile odometer end fractional mileage disc in a manner for unwinding said feed roller directly therewith, the road map printed. on said tape being drawn to a scale to SYl'lOllIO-g nize the map mileage withthe automobile,

odometer mileage, said casing frame :being*} positioned on fthe; automobile instrument: board to expose thesaid map tape, visibly ,1 through the casing window. .e; .1

2. A mechanical road lnapdevice adapted'h for an automobile tourists; road --guidei and;

used in combination with an automobile andautomobile odometer, comprising ,a, casing I suitable for mounting on an automobile-inj-E the other endrollerfor winding said road map tape thereon, a feed roller rot atably 1 mounted within saidcasing positioned to engage the said road map tape for regulating the map tape unwinding, saidjfeed roll'erbe- 'ing providedwith means for'directly attachingsame to the endfractional.mileagedisc of an automobile odometer in amannerior causing an unwinding of said feed roller dieip rectly therewith, the road map being drawn to a chosen scale for synchroni'zingthe road 1 map tape mileage with the automobile odometer mileage. j v I a f;

3. A road map device adapted for use as an automobile touristsroi d guide and used-j in combination with 'an automobile and automobile odometer, comprising a suitable {casmgior. fixedly mounting on; an automoblle instrument board ad acent said automobile odometer, said frame being formed with a: diront WlIldQW open ng andprovldedjwith a transparent window panel,-parallel map tape:

rollers rotatably mountedwithinsaid frame positioned with the two center tape rollers at opposite ends oi said window opening, a road map tape mounted over the two center rollers to expose a portion of said mapthrough the said window opening and the opposite map tape ends being fixedly attachedto the end rollers, said map tapebeing rolled on one of said end rollers, spring winding means attachedto theother end roller in i a manner for winding-saidroad map tape 1 thereon as it is unwound from the opposite end roller, a tension roller mounted adjacent to one of the center window rollers and pressedin contact therewith by a suitable tension spring for engaging and restraining the map tape betweensaid tension roller and.

center window; roller, 1 said center 7 Window ly connecting same with the fractional end mileage disc of the adjacent automobile odometer for causing said ,center' window roller to unwind directly with the said end" mileagedisc thefroad map being drawn on said tape toia chosen scale for synchronizing the road map tape mileage with the automobileodometer mileage. w r

In witness whereof I sign these specifications; V. i JAMES S. MQNEIL.

I roller being proyided' with means for directgg 1 

